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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President, Dana White, is not the biggest fan of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters who withdraw from upcoming events on short notice, especially when they leave him holding the proverbial bag.
But White has always had a soft spot for ex-middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker, who is no stranger to bailing on pay-per-view (PPV) events, including UFC 248 this March in Las Vegas, where “The Reaper” was expected to fight Jared Cannonier.
“That’s personal for Whittaker,” White told Submission Radio (via Tom Taylor). “If Whittaker wants to talk about that, he can, but I’ll tell you this, when you talk about somebody whose priorities are in the right place, who is completely selfless and down to the core a good human being, that’s Robert Whittaker.”
Darren Till was in talks to take over for Whittaker on March 7; however, it appears “The Gorilla” is healing up from a recent injury and may not be available in time. As a result, the promotion continues its search for a replacement.
“The reason Robert Whittaker is not fighting in this fight is one of the most unselfish things I’ve seen in my life,” White said. “He’s a good man, he’s a good human being, and I have a lot of respect for him. Good luck to him in what he’s dealing with right now. I can’t put into words and articulate how I feel about Robert Whittaker. He’s the real deal, man.”
For much more on UFC 248 click here.